Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-09-22
THE CRY OF THE VULTURE.

cnptie- into the river.
Fort Sully is an even hundred miles
20 the northeast, and the country be-
/ tween IS given over to the coyote the
rattlcSnake, and the savage.
Camp Robinson is an even hundred
miles to the northwest, on the very
headwaters of the White, and the
country between might well be written
down rs accursed.
1t is high noon by the silver watch
which the scout pulls from his pocket
ms his mule comes to sudden halt at
the spring and pluuges his nose into
clear, cold water until he must shut
his eyes. From Fort Sully to Camp
Robinson with military orders Just
half the ride has been completed
Two hundred miles through lands
accused with yenomOus serpcnts,
7ucakiRg coyotes, savage wolves,
Indian devils with memories of a
score Of massacres - with remem-
ORANGES &c c.HahaWk and scalping
knife, aud eXultant warriors. They
babe this man good-by as he rode from
the fort and they parted with him as
ii he We're going TO his death They
watched him as he rode away into the
gloom of the evening, and when the
shadows had swallowed him up there
rose up in his place, seeming to be
painted across the sombrc curtain of
night, the legend
CHARLEY GRAY,
GOVT SCOUT AND DISPATCH RIDER.
CAPTURED BT DEMONs SEPT 10, 1868,
AND
TORTURED TO DEATH SAME DATE.
GENTLE, BRAVE. AND FEARLESS.
ERECTED TO HIS MEMORY By LOVING
FRIENDS AND COMRADES.
Men read the legend and turned
away with a SILVER Two hundred
miles of snake and wolf and demon! 1t
was taking terrible chances.
1t had been rough ride with scarce
ly an hours halt for rest, and the
mule drank aus if long deprived of wa
ter Little by little he raised his
head from the spring, and at last he
lifted his nose clear out Of the water
with an "o-o-o-tl!' of satisfaction The
mans tongue burned for water, but
me did not hurry his movements. He
began at the peak on his right and
carefully looked over the ground in a
quartcr-circlc to the north. Then he
turned In his saddle and made the sur
vcy half-circlc. Then he lifted himself
i'm thcstirup- and surveyed the ground
TO the left, to the right, in front, and
his circle was complete
Itwa, plain. sterile, parchcd, broken
and ridgad-iands which produce only
for reptiles and wild beasts. A ser
pcut lav baskingin the sun a few yards
distant 4 gaunt, wiId-cved wolf
pccred ont from behind rocl, scarce
pistol shot away apd guashed his teeth
IN disappointment that it was not
other game The scout smiled with
Satisfaction He could detect nothing
of the goe no most dreaded. He leaps
To Che ground. strips OIL the saddle,
and while the mule picks ut the sweet
gra~, rouud the spring the scout
breaks his fast from the bread and
meat in his hayer-ack-
"Hi-cl! Hi-ek. tIi-ek"
III is the call of a vuIturc sailing i'm
circles oy4g the spring Did YOU ever
see "a vultme of the plain? a heavy
bodied bird of sombrc color,w fierce
boah, and alon~ like the claws of a
tge Ihs living a-e nothing TO him;
death Is h- feast
"Hi-ck Heck, Hi-ckt"
When Yea ncar that cry look ou..
Dcaiu is ctase at hand.
1.-THE second call the mule raised
his head jn % startled way and east "A
swift gijuua ON every side. the scout
WAS -.o..c. la his movements. He
iou,cur0 his revolver before he moved,
and as he rose up he bad his rifle in
hi, hands.
''Hi-ckr Hi-eE, Hi-ek"
What is it2 The man turns slowly
on his hrel to- scan the country, and
brave and fearless as ne is his heart
increases if> beats and his eyes bctray
anxiety. The vuItgre is never mistaken.
The death-eall is never uttered without
reason. There are three minutes of
such suspense as try mems nerves of
such silence that the Hap. flap! Of the
yuiurc.s great wings can be heard as
he sails his circle.
"Iii-els, Iii
An, \ score of savagcs suddenly APP
pear on Che crest of the ridge half a
mlc To thc west each one painted and
bcdccked -- each one mouutcd and
,hir-un- for blood They have been
iu ambush 10. hours, and now ,heir
waiting has hoeu rewarded. They
vince, To the l-i~ht and the left until
they are In line. Not war Whoop
has been utttred-no . shout has
broken the silence The scou. faces
thnIa Ono fyp-lpu fifteen tunn-